Finmeccanica subsidiary AgustaWestland has completed the two-year Capability Concept Demonstrator (CCD) for the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Rotary Wing UAS (RWUAS) programme, the company has confirmed. Speaking to the media ahead of DSEI 2015 on 8 September, company officials explained how AgustaWestland was currently finalising engineering reports which will be submitted to the MoD within the next few weeks.
The company then expects the MoD to make a decision about how it foresees any progression regarding a RWUAS capability. At the start of the programme, the MoD had been considering equipping the Royal Navy with a RWUAS platform beyond 2020 .
In July 2013, the MoD signed a $2.3 million contract to execute the maritime UAS programme, which aimed to prove the concept of operating a conceptual multi-role UAV from a Royal Navy vessel. AgustaWestland beat off competition from parties including Lockheed Martin, Qinetiq, and Saab.
“The RWUAS will consist of an air vehicle, ground control station and communications link to reduce possible delays in the event of unplanned maintenance or technical issues,” an official government statement read at the time.
The RWUAS CCD centred around the use of the PZL-Świdnik SW-4 SOLO Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV), which is based on the SW-4 light single engine helicopter. The OPV is designed to conduct a number of roles, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as cargo re-supply. “In piloted configuration, the SW-4 can undertake a number of activities, including transportation of personnel, surveillance and intervention. It can be fitted with a comprehensive mission equipment package, including search, communications/intelligence systems and armament,” a company spokesperson added.
Finmeccanica confirmed that the MoD’s RWUAS programme had completed 27 hours of flights with a total of 22 simulated deck landings conducted, with a safety pilot sitting idol in the cockpit ready to take the controls if necessary. However, this was not required, AgustaWestland confirmed.
Additionally, the CCD included collaboration with Atlas Elektronik regarding mine countermeasure (MCM) operations and BAE Systems for integration with ship management systems. The CCD also approached concepts of operation regarding hydrographic surveying. Company officials however, were unable to confirm whether these concepts of operation had included any networking or collaboration with other unmanned or manned assets including unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs). However, officials confirmed the tests had been a, “tremendous success,” with the CCD, “prompting thinking of [additional] flight line uses.” The technology currently lies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7.
“We are now looking at airspace openings to allow access across the UK’s airspace,” the source added although further information as to where such flights would occur remained undisclosed.
Meanwhile, it emerged that the Polish and Italian Navies were also continuing to conduct evaluation of the SW-4 SOLO OPV although Finmeccanica described how their efforts were focussed more on demonstrating the unmanned technology itself as opposed to proving a more holistic concept of operations approach on board an operational vessel, as was the evaluation conducted by the UK’s MoD.
“We do not want to develop a solution for a single customer. Instead, we are focussed on developing a product which can fulfil a number of requirements for multiple customers,” a company spokesperson explained.
Considering the wider international market, company officials also outlined, “emerging opportunities,” in the area of border security, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market for unmanned platforms.
Company Sources suggested Finmeccanica’s FALCO and RWUAS products could be utilised to carry electro-optical (EO), radar and communications payloads in order to facilitate such a requirement. The FALCO tactical UAV was designed for persistent surveillance, target detection, localisation, identification and designation missions, optimised for civil and military surveillance and Homeland Security sectors.
According to Finmeccanica, the FALCO’s 24/7, all-weather capability provides an ideal fit for border patrol, coastal watch, immigration prevention, law enforcement to power and pipelines surveillance, illegal fishery prevention, and environmental monitoring.
“The FALCO air vehicle, besides its inherent automatic Short-Take-Off ability from semi-prepared airstrips, can also be launched from a pneumatic catapult in a tactical environment. Recovery is accomplished by automatic conventional Wheeled Landing, Tactical Short Landing, or by parachute. Landing gear is designed to prevent payloads and aircraft structure damages due to heavy landings (decks landings or parachute recovery) and for semi-prepared landing strips operations,” a company spokesperson explained.
FALCO can be equipped with EO/IR, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), maritime surveillance radar, electronic support measures, self-protection systems, hyperspectral camera and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) payloads.
Elsewhere in the unmanned domain, Finnmeccanica continues to pursue other developments including evolution of the the Piaggio P.1HH HAMMERHEAD; work with Airbus Defence & Space (DS) on the European MALE 2020 effort; and finally, the Anglo-French Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.
The MALE 2020 effort saw a Declaration of Intent signed between the governments of France, Germany, and Italy in May to conduct a study into a European Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAS with Finmeccanica agreeing to work with Dassault Aviation and Airbus DS on the task.
The FCAS programme is due to publish its findings in 2016 as part of a two-year feasibility study designed to develop a future Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) concept. The GBP200 million effort includes the participation of Selex ES, BAE Systems, Dassault Aviation, Rolls-Royce, and Safran.
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| Finmeccanica AgustaWestland's RWUAS CCD centred around the use of the PZL-Świdnik SW-4 Solo Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV), which is based on the SW-4 light single engine helicopter. The OPV is designed to conduct a number of roles, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as cargo re-supply. |
The company then expects the MoD to make a decision about how it foresees any progression regarding a RWUAS capability. At the start of the programme, the MoD had been considering equipping the Royal Navy with a RWUAS platform beyond 2020 .
In July 2013, the MoD signed a $2.3 million contract to execute the maritime UAS programme, which aimed to prove the concept of operating a conceptual multi-role UAV from a Royal Navy vessel. AgustaWestland beat off competition from parties including Lockheed Martin, Qinetiq, and Saab.
“The RWUAS will consist of an air vehicle, ground control station and communications link to reduce possible delays in the event of unplanned maintenance or technical issues,” an official government statement read at the time.
The RWUAS CCD centred around the use of the PZL-Świdnik SW-4 SOLO Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV), which is based on the SW-4 light single engine helicopter. The OPV is designed to conduct a number of roles, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as cargo re-supply. “In piloted configuration, the SW-4 can undertake a number of activities, including transportation of personnel, surveillance and intervention. It can be fitted with a comprehensive mission equipment package, including search, communications/intelligence systems and armament,” a company spokesperson added.
Finmeccanica confirmed that the MoD’s RWUAS programme had completed 27 hours of flights with a total of 22 simulated deck landings conducted, with a safety pilot sitting idol in the cockpit ready to take the controls if necessary. However, this was not required, AgustaWestland confirmed.
Additionally, the CCD included collaboration with Atlas Elektronik regarding mine countermeasure (MCM) operations and BAE Systems for integration with ship management systems. The CCD also approached concepts of operation regarding hydrographic surveying. Company officials however, were unable to confirm whether these concepts of operation had included any networking or collaboration with other unmanned or manned assets including unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs). However, officials confirmed the tests had been a, “tremendous success,” with the CCD, “prompting thinking of [additional] flight line uses.” The technology currently lies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7.
“We are now looking at airspace openings to allow access across the UK’s airspace,” the source added although further information as to where such flights would occur remained undisclosed.
Meanwhile, it emerged that the Polish and Italian Navies were also continuing to conduct evaluation of the SW-4 SOLO OPV although Finmeccanica described how their efforts were focussed more on demonstrating the unmanned technology itself as opposed to proving a more holistic concept of operations approach on board an operational vessel, as was the evaluation conducted by the UK’s MoD.
“We do not want to develop a solution for a single customer. Instead, we are focussed on developing a product which can fulfil a number of requirements for multiple customers,” a company spokesperson explained.
Considering the wider international market, company officials also outlined, “emerging opportunities,” in the area of border security, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market for unmanned platforms.
Company Sources suggested Finmeccanica’s FALCO and RWUAS products could be utilised to carry electro-optical (EO), radar and communications payloads in order to facilitate such a requirement. The FALCO tactical UAV was designed for persistent surveillance, target detection, localisation, identification and designation missions, optimised for civil and military surveillance and Homeland Security sectors.
 |
| Finmeccanica FALCO |
According to Finmeccanica, the FALCO’s 24/7, all-weather capability provides an ideal fit for border patrol, coastal watch, immigration prevention, law enforcement to power and pipelines surveillance, illegal fishery prevention, and environmental monitoring.
“The FALCO air vehicle, besides its inherent automatic Short-Take-Off ability from semi-prepared airstrips, can also be launched from a pneumatic catapult in a tactical environment. Recovery is accomplished by automatic conventional Wheeled Landing, Tactical Short Landing, or by parachute. Landing gear is designed to prevent payloads and aircraft structure damages due to heavy landings (decks landings or parachute recovery) and for semi-prepared landing strips operations,” a company spokesperson explained.
FALCO can be equipped with EO/IR, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), maritime surveillance radar, electronic support measures, self-protection systems, hyperspectral camera and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) payloads.
Elsewhere in the unmanned domain, Finnmeccanica continues to pursue other developments including evolution of the the Piaggio P.1HH HAMMERHEAD; work with Airbus Defence & Space (DS) on the European MALE 2020 effort; and finally, the Anglo-French Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.
The MALE 2020 effort saw a Declaration of Intent signed between the governments of France, Germany, and Italy in May to conduct a study into a European Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAS with Finmeccanica agreeing to work with Dassault Aviation and Airbus DS on the task.
The FCAS programme is due to publish its findings in 2016 as part of a two-year feasibility study designed to develop a future Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) concept. The GBP200 million effort includes the participation of Selex ES, BAE Systems, Dassault Aviation, Rolls-Royce, and Safran.
Andrew White